SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. — Central Valley School District began the school year with nearly 50 fewer paraeducators than normal, creating challenges for supporting students with special needs in classrooms across the district.
At Adams Elementary, paraeducators are known as the heart of the school. Their focus is on kids with special needs, but they often end up playing a vital role in the lives of all students. Being short on them has been a struggle.
“Because they’re directly working with kids, they have just as much impact at times as the teachers do,” said Nicole Epperson, principal at Adams Elementary…